Campus Remains Committed to Equal Opportunity, Diversity in Hiring
UC Regents' Resolution SP2, which prohibits the use of race, religion, sex, color, ethnicity and national origin in university employment and contracting practices, went into effect Jan. 1.
Because the resolution requires no action be taken that would jeopardize federal funding, university policy in employment and contracting will continue to comply with federal regulations, including those requiring affirmative action. Although some affirmative action policies and employment practices have been modified to conform to the resolution, many policies and practices on employment will remain unchanged.
Chancellor Tien has assured the university community that efforts to recruit and maintain a diverse faculty and staff will continue with his full support.
"The contributions of all employees of Berkeley promote the 'excellence through diversity' to which I am so deeply committed," he said. "As a campus, we will continue to do our very best to provide to all applicants and employees equal access to job opportunities and a supportive campus climate for every member of our faculty, staff and student body.
"It is still campus policy to take affirmative measures to ensure that barriers to equal opportunity are eliminated....I am committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory work environment in which each of us can proudly contribute to the university's mission," Tien said.
Following a campus review of proposed policy revisions, several changes to university policies related to affirmative action and hiring academic and staff employees became effective Jan. 1 as a result of Resolution SP2.
The full text of the campus response to Office of the President is available for review on the Berkeley Campus Personnel Office gopher, under Staff Affirmative Action Office (SAAO). The primary recommendation in that response was that the university should include statements in the policy that demonstrate a continuing commitment to the development of a diverse workforce.
Although the university is required to comply with federal and state requirements, the policy revisions do include some new language and changes resulting from the Regents' resolution. For example:
o The selection policy formerly called for hiring authorities to give primary consideration to meeting affirmative action objectives when two or more applicants were "substantially equally qualified." That requirement has been removed.
o The recruitment policy now calls for "outreach efforts...to ensure that the recruitment process facilitates good faith efforts toward attainment of affirmative action goals and objectives as set forth in university affirmative action plans."
The revised policies are Staff Personnel Policy (SPP) 200, 201, 219, 211 and 260; Administrative and Professional Staff Program (A&PS) 112, 113, 120 and 121; Management and Professional (MAP) 12, 13, 20 and 21; and Executive 2, 3, 5 and 6; and Academic Personnel (APM) 035 and 036. The revisions will be posted on the Berkeley Campus Personnel Office gopher after the Office of the President makes them available electronically.
Systemwide and campus administrators have been reviewing programs and practices related to recruitment, hiring and staff development, to make sure they comply with the resolution. At the same time new programs are being developed to strengthen the campus's commitment to equal opportunity (see the article on Human Resources' Inreach/Outreach program, page 1).
The Staff Affirmative Action Office provides services to departments in support of diversity and equal opportunity in hiring and staff development and will continue to develop annual affirmative action plans, as required by federal law.